I just love it when two of my passions combine. I’m a long time gym junkie, occasional 5k runner and have a penchant for a circuit class. I’m also a dedicated follower of fashion, keeping on trend whilst owning my own style. So when two of these passions combine into ready to wear activewear, I’m one happy gym bunny.
Ready to wear activewear Charli Cohen
I met activewear fashion designer Charli Cohen through her Instagram account. Which is pretty damn awesome, check out her feed. I was lucky enough to be invited to her London Fashion Week catwalk show last September which showcased her amazing work in a basement gym with one hell of a funky runway for the models to showcase her work.
Charli Cohen trained in London as a fashion designer and as a personal trainer. She graduated from Kingston University, London in 2020. Her talent is all about bridging the gap between performance and ready-to-wear to create ‘Active Fashion’, her eponymous, British brand is born out of her knowledge of these two passions: fashion and physiology.
Ready-to-wear active wear designer, Charli Cohen
I love Charli’s use of materials and bold colours, the aqua marine for SS16 is gorgeous. The brand is synonymous with clever, body-sculpting cuts, luxury technical fabrics and contemporary fashion design. She makes sure that gym wear, sports wear and functional fitness wear doesn’t mean boring. I asked Charli about how her fashion collection came about.
“I wanted to redefine activewear as ready-to-wear fashion. My goal is to empower women to do what they want, when they want, by creating a 50/50 balance between style and utility”.
“As an individual, I’m always seeking ways to optimise my day and that feeds into the concept behind CC. It’s about clothing to feel confident and comfortable in, whether that’s at the gym, at work or going out in the evening – you don’t have to know what you’re doing that day to be dressed for the occasion”.
I always love to hear the inspiration behind a brand and Charli showcases some great places in her Instagram account, so I knew travel must come into it.
Charli explains all, “I look to movement and anatomy every season for inspiration, but I also take it from my travels – architecture, youth culture, atmosphere – I love to people watch when I’m abroad!”
The new collection pretty cool and is inspired by comic book superheroes – the idea of “suiting up” vs going undercover. This season Charli introduced the first swimwear pieces this season but she is keen that that are a crossover to the gym and the street too.
There are a few stockists for Charli Cohen in the UK and globally, as well as being able to buy from her online store. Check out the Stockists page on the website for more information.
Photography by Saskia Lawson
What is your fit game? How do you like to stay fit? How do you ramp up the style stakes when it comes to fitness?
I have found so many awesome people to feature here at Presents via Instagram. Check out my feed right here @presents